[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 107 (Monday, June 4, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32984-32985]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-13458]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-10221; 2200-1100-665]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Maine, Hudson 
Museum, Orono, ME

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The University of Maine, Hudson Museum has completed an 
inventory of human remains in consultation with the appropriate Indian 
tribes and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between 
the human remains and present-day Indian tribes. Representatives of any 
Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the 
human remains may contact the University of Maine, Hudson Museum. 
Repatriation of the human remains to the Indian tribes stated below may 
occur if no additional claimants come forward.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a 
cultural affiliation with the human remains should contact the 
University of Maine, Hudson Museum, at the address below by July 5, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: Gretchen Faulkner, Director, Hudson Museum, University of 
Maine, 5746 Collins Center for the Arts, Orono, ME 04469-5746, 
telephone 207-581-1904.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is here given in accordance with the 
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 
U.S.C. 3003, of the completion of an inventory of human remains in the 
possession of the University of Maine, Hudson Museum. The human remains 
were removed from unknown sites in the state of Maine.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3). The 
determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native 
American human remains. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the 
University of Maine, Hudson Museum, professional staff in consultation 
with representatives of the Aroostook Band of Micmacs Indians of Maine, 
Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians of Maine, Passamaquoddy Tribe of 
Maine, and the Penobscot Tribe of Maine.

History and Description of the Remains

    In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, human remains 
representing, at minimum, two individuals were removed from unknown 
sites in the state of Maine. The remains were a part of a collection 
loan to the University of Maine, Hudson Museum, by the former Portland 
Society of Natural History and subsequently donated to the University 
of Maine, Hudson Museum by the Maine Audubon Society. The human remains 
are identified at the University of Maine, Hudson Museum, as numbers 12 
and 13. Number 12 is a mandible from a female, age 18-40, and number 13 
is a mandible from a male, age 18-40. Number 13 is consistent with 
archaeological remains, while number 12 is not likely from an 
archaeological context. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    All human remains in the possession of the University of Maine, 
Hudson Museum, were reviewed by forensic anthropologist Marcella Sorg, 
Ph.D., D-ABFA on July 16, 2002, who was assisted by former Hudson 
Museum Director Stephen Whittington, Lisa Hunter, and Kentra Gleuck. 
The resulting report indicates the minimum number of individuals, age, 
sex, ancestry, and provenience if available. The human remains 
represented by 12 and 13 were determined to be of 
Native American ancestry and have provenience to the ancestral 
territories of the Aroostook Band of Micmacs Indians of Maine, Houlton 
Band of Maliseet Indians of Maine, Passamaquoddy Tribe of Maine, and 
the Penobscot Tribe of Maine.

Determinations Made by the University of Main, Hudson Museum

    Officials of the University of Maine, Hudson Museum, have 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of two individuals of 
Native American ancestry.

[[Page 32985]]

     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains to the Aroostook Band of Micmacs Indians of 
Maine, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians of Maine, Passamaquoddy Tribe 
of Maine, and the Penobscot Tribe of Maine.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Gretchen 
Faulkner, Director, University of Maine, Hudson Museum, 5746 Collins 
Center for the Arts, Orono, ME 04469-5746, telephone (207) 581-1904, 
before July 5, 2012. Repatriation of the human remains to the Aroostook 
Band of Micmacs Indians of Maine, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians of 
Maine, Passamaquoddy Tribe of Maine, and the Penobscot Tribe of Maine 
may proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The University of Maine, Hudson Museum is responsible for notifying 
the Aroostook Band of Micmacs Indians of Maine, Houlton Band of 
Maliseet Indians of Maine, Passamaquoddy Tribe of Maine, and the 
Penobscot Tribe of Maine that this notice has been published.

    Dated: May 30, 2012.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2012-13458 Filed 6-1-12; 8:45 am]
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